No Choice But Surrender
by Knows-it-all
Summary: Klaus set out to get back the humanity of the girl his heart desire and was willing to take any risk. But the stubborn Caroline was determined to keep her humanity off no matter what. It was a battle none of them wanted to fail.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello guys! Before you too excited, I should tell you that this is a five-shots. The recent episodes of TVD inspired me to write this. Hope you will love it.**

**Kisses.**

* * *

**Chapter One**

Mystic Falls was silent. Nothing moved on the streets; the stores and houses lay quiet and dark. Everyone were huddled in their beds with their doors and windows barred. Except for her. Sleeping was overrated. She wanted to have some fun, but there was no one around to feast on. It was three o'clock in the morning and Caroline Forbes seemed to be the only one roaming around the town. Could you really blame her? She was hungry. An idea came to her suddenly. Why should she wait for someone to pass by when she could go into their houses and get what she wanted. Huh. Breaking in and entering. That sounded fun and thrilling.

She let out a deep chuckle. Switching her humanity was the best decsion she could have ever made. She felt free from any emotions. The death of her mother didn't bother her at all. Sure the woman had been with her all her life, but she had always been a buzz kill. Now Caroline could enjoy doing whatever she wanted without fearing that her mother would be disappointed.

_Rest in peace, Mom,_ she thought, not really caring if she did or not. Laughing, Caroline had a feeling she was probably rolling in her grave after witnessing her horrible behaviour lately.

The cold wind blew down the street, stirring up dust and sending an empty can skittering over the ground. She hummed as she took a left turn, then gazed up. The night sky was hazy and starless, but a smoke peered through the clouds and it was coming from the forest. Interesting. She ran with an inhuman speed towards the forest and to where the smoke was coming from. Caroline scanned the darkness and her eyes moved to the group of men that were camping around a campfire. Twirling her hair, she silently eased behind a tree and watched them with a hint of a cruel smile on her face.

She titled her head and licked her lips, trying to decide which one to eat first. Problem was, they all looked so good and mouthwatering. Clicking her tongue, she decided to mess with them first. She picked up a branch from the ground and snapped it into two, making sure that the sound was heard.

"What was that?" Tim whipped his head around in search of the noise. He held his breath, counting the seconds with every frantic heartbeat. "I heard something."

"Oh, come on, Tim, there's no one here but us," His friend Isaac assured him with a laugh. His three other friends joined in in the laughter. Caroline raised an eyebrow. Tim, on the other hand was sure that he had heard something. He couldn't make out where it had came from, but he did not imagine it. But seconds passed and when didn't hear another sound, he relaxed.

Caroline decided then to hell with fun. She stepped out from behind the tree and stuttered towards the men. A single flashlight beam flickered over her face and the one who she believed to be called Isaac pointed her to his friends. She approached them and stopped a feet away, looking between them with a smile.

"Caroline? Caroline Forbes," A voice said with a hint of a shock. Caroline turned to the man that had said her name. It was Officer Trent, her mother's friend. The guy who always hung around Liz every time Caroline went to see her mother at work. She had believed that he had the hots for her.

"Officer Trent," she answered, her eyes dancing with amusement.

Trent stood up and brushed a dust from his jeans. "What are you doing out here at this time of the night, Caroline?" he asked - well to her it sounded more like a demand.

"Hunting," Caroline stated matter of factly. A few eyebrows shot up in confusion and surprise.

"You know," Her eyes glanced to a short man who spoke. "they aren't any animals in this forest. And even if they were, it's dangerous to hunt in the night, don't you think?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "But I'm not hunting animals. As a matter of fact, I hunt humans." She gave them a cheeky grin, ignoring their shocked expressions. Well it wasn't like she was going to lie to them. The thing she had learned about turning off her humanity was the desire to tell the truth. There was no need to beat around the bush.

"Listen, Caroline, I know your Mom just died and your emotions are all over the place, but you're not making any sense, dear," Trent said in a low voice, calm and collected.

Caroline threw her head back and laughed. Her emotions all over the place? More like there was no emotion at all. "See, the thing is, I don't really give a fuck about that. The truth is, Trent, I'm better off without her constant whining and complains." She whispered the last words to him. "Enough talking. It's time to eat." She gazed hungrily between the men who had became petrified after expressing how she felt about her mother.

"What-" The short man started to say him, then his voice abruptly changed to a startled gurgle, followed by a wet splat, and the faint, coppery stench of blood filled the air.

"Oops, my hand slipped." She giggled as she held the short man's heart in her hand to everyone's horror. Dropping it, she licked her hand and moaned in delicious, her fangs itching to sink itself into a neck. Enraged cries rang out and the men began to ran, but Caroline began to flash in front of them and sunk her fangs into their necks. The sound of agonized screams filled the entire forest. God, how she loved the sounds.

The only remaining man standing was Trent who was watching in horror as his friends took their last breath in front of him. He made an attempt to run, but didn't quite make it far when he saw her in front of him. The corner of her mouth was dripping in blood and her clothes were splattered in it also. The fangs hadn't retreated. Before she knew it, Trent was on the ground, holding her legs.

"Don't kill me, please," he begged as he sobbed.

"Hmm." Caroline licked the blood from her lips and smirked down at the man beneath her feet. "I like this position and you begging. Do it again. I might just spare your life. Come on now, do it again."

Trent did exactly what she said. There was a goofy smile on her face as she enjoyed every single moment the man pathetically begged for his life. If only people would do that often, Caroline would spare them their lives. She crouched down and took his hands off from her legs. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she smiled and without words being spoken, she assured him that his life was spared with a single look. He sighed in relief and happiness.

Helping him up, she ushered him to go. With a nod, Trent began to walk away and she watched him. Her hands touched sharp objects that were safely tucked in her boots. Caroline retrieved them and with a good aim, the knives hit Trent's back. And then she watched until the final groan died away, until the last body fell and silence crept into the forest once more. She never intended to let him stay alive. At least, he died with a smile on his face thinking that his life had been spared. She erupted into a fit of laughter.

The five men lay in heaps, hearts scattered about, the flashlight shining weakly on the ground. Its beam pointed to a vivid splash of red, trickling down to a motionless body._ What a sad sight,_ she thought with a fake sympathy. Caroline turned around with the intension of leaving the forest when she stopped and bit her lip. Leaving the dead bodies like that wasn't such a good idea. It would only tipped her friends off and God knew she did not want to hear their complains. And she could surely end up being locked. It didn't not suit well with her. With a heavy sigh, she managed to bury them all in one grave deep inside the forest. At least they would keep each other company.

* * *

"Where have you been?"

Caroline gave Elena a disdainful look as she walked into their dorm room seven hours later, kicking the door shut behind her. Elena scrambled off her bed, gaping. "Why are you covered in blood?!" she demanded.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "And why are you still here, anyway? Have you been waiting up for me?"

"Stop changing the subject, Caroline," Elena snapped in anger. "You disappeared in the night and you came back covered in blood in broad daylight."

"Elena." She sighed and collapsed on the bed, not bothering to change. She quite like wearing bloody clothes. "I just got back from a rather _wonderful _night out," Caroline muttered, putting an arm over her eyes. "I'm tired, I'm cranky, and unless you don't want me to snap your neck, leave me the hell alone."

"How many did you kill?" Elena continued, as if she hadn't said a word.

Caroline removed her arm and sat up to face her. She seemed tense and looked ready to defend herself if a fight broke out. It made Caroline smile. Good to know everyone was on edge because of her. Makes her want to be a little nice to them. But then, she snorted at the idea and shook her head. As if she was capable of being nice.

"Oh, I don't remember." Caroline shrugged her shoulders and added with a thought. "The night was kinda blurry." She rose from the bed and, taking Elena's elbow, she steered her to the door. "Run along now to your bed buddy. I don't want your annoying voice to keep me awake. Bye!" Elena started to protest, but Caroline firmly pushed her over the door, slamming the door on her face before she could say anything.

Collapsing on the bed once again, she turned her face to the wall and closed her eyes. She dismissed all thoughts of the interrogations that she knew would happen later. Rolling her eyes, she reminded herself to get away from Mystic Falls before her friends forced her to do something that she didn't want to do. With the plan to leave firmly on her mind, she drifted off to oblivion.

Thirty minutes later, something boomed against the door.

Caroline jerked awake, the door to the dorm still rattling from the sudden blow. On her feet, she glared at the door. By the fourth, she had wrenched the door open with the intention of snapping whoever's neck that was bothering her, even as Stefan was pulling his fist back to knock again.

He blinked at her. "Caroline," The relief in his voice was palpable. "Elena said you came back."

"Did she now?" She gave him a crooked smile. "Is she the town's gossiper now?"

Stefan sighed and glared at her. Now that she had observed him, there were dark circles under his eyes. "You can't blame us for worrying, Caroline." His glare grew sharper, almost desperate. "Where were you all night?"

"You're not my father, Stefan, but I do agree you're older than him, but that does not give you the right to act like this." His dark eyes bulged at her statement. "But to save your mind from obsessing over where I've been, I'll tell you. I went to hunt, Stefan. I killed five people and among them was my Mom's friend," she decided to tell him the whole truth, simply because not telling would only make him more determined to know the answers, and Caroline did not want to spend any minute with him. "Do you know the most funniest thing through all that? Trent thought I was going to spare his life." She chuckled, then followed by a snort, remembering the event in her mind. "Just as he was about to leave, I threw a couple of knives at his back. I knew when I took those knife, it will come in handy someday." Sighing, she stretched her left arm. "Don't worry about the dead bodies. I buried them because I felt really bad, you know."

Stefan grabbed her shoulders and shook them hard. "Are you insane?! Five people, Caroline and you don't feel bad at all?" He shouted in anger and disbelief.

"Now why would I feel bad when I got what I wanted?"

He released her immediately and took a step back, shaking his head. "Unbelievable."

"Oh great, the lost psycho is back," A voice drawled behind them. Damon stood there looking between them, but was oblivious to Stefans' shocked and troubled expression. "Everyone had been worried about you and I told them not to, because I knew you would come back. I sure as hell didn't miss you. Sure was nice and quiet without you." Damon smirked, then added, "Ever since you turned your humanity off, Blondie, all you do is go around and cause trouble. I say let's lock you up."

Stefan pretended to ignore him, though she saw his jaw tightened. Caroline smiled sweetly at Damon. "How's that busted nose treating you, by the way?"

Damon angrily stared at her, and he held up a finger and motioned for her to come forward. "Why don't you come over here and take a look?" He threatened, much to her amusement.

"Damon," Stefan said in a warning voice, locking eyes with his brother. "Stop being an ass."

"Hey." Damon held up his hands. "I'm only being honest. No one else has the guts to say it, so I will."

"Aren't you supposed to be somewhere?" Stefan asked, and Damon took that as his cue to leave. Caroline made a note to break his nose the other way as soon as she got the opportunity. Stefan turned to her with an apologetic look and she gave him a confused look in return. In an instant, before she could make a run, her neck was snapped.

* * *

Why does her neck hurt? Why does it feel like as if it had been - her eyes shot open and she glaced around the poorly lit room and then she knew exactly where she was; a cell. She could almost feel her blood turning cold as dread seeped into her bones, keeping her immobile on the hard bed. She was going to kill Stefan for snapping her neck and locking her up. She shouldn't have had let her guard down and now look where she had ended up. Caroline looked around. Where was this anyway? It definitely didn't look like she was down in the Salvatore's cellar.

Some little light came through the high window in the cell, but not much more than she had wanted. A long while passed before she wondered who had covered her with these blankets. Was this Stefan? What, he locked her up and suddenly felt bad that he had to cover her up? She removed the blankets and threw them on the ground in anger. Getting up from the bed, she approached the door- only that it wasn't just a normal one, the door had iron bars. She wrapped her hands around the iron bars, attempting to break it, but even her vampire abilities weren't strong enough to break through them. She slammed her hand on it in anger.

Caroline could see the hallways but not much. She couldn't make out everything. Slowly retreating away from the door, she went back to the bed and sat on it. She kept leaning back and forth, thinking of ways to torture the younger Salvatore. He did this to her. And then she heard the sound of lock and then the door opened.

Someone stood before her.

As he was caught in the shadows, with only the faintest glimmer of light coming from behind him, she could see little of him. Medium height, he filled the doorway, one hand behind his back, the other holding the door. Caroline tried to get a better look at him from where she was sitting but she could not make out his features. He appeared to be enveloped in shadows. There was an eerie, phantomlike quality about him. It was as if she were seeing his reflection in a pool of dark water.

Although she could not see him clearly, she could tell that he was dressed in a black Henly and black jeans. It bothered her that she could not make out his features. Certainly the light was dim in the cell, but her eyes had adjusted to the low level of illumination. She ought to be able to see the person who she thought wasn't Stefan.

He stood there like an executioner.

Had she been the old Caroline, the thought would have sent rivers of icy fear cascading along her spine. She would have been terrified! She would have promised herself that she would survive this, she would fight it. But alas, this Caroline with no humanity felt no fear or whatsoever.

He stared at her long and hard from the doorway. What went on in his mind, she could not begin to tell, for with the light far behind him, he remained nothing but a medium height, lithe, muscled menace. The silence deepened. At that moment, he made a move, striding into the cell.

The door slammed shut behind him.

"You tell Stefan that I'll kill him!" she promised. "I demand you to let me go this instant. I'd be very pissed if I end up killing my messenger. If you're dead, then who would give that message to him?" He remained quiet. "I said let me go!" she said again, holding back the urge to hurt every single bone in his body. She tossed back her head. "Haven't you listened to a word I've said? Are you daft? You do not want to piss of a girl who has turn her emotions off." She reminded him but the guy was hell bent on ignoring her. She clenched her fists in anger. "Can you understand English?"

Fuck the messenger.

She flew at him, her hand raised, intending to strike straight for the heart. But no matter how quickly she moved, he was faster, capturing her wrist before her hand could touch him. Then she became acutely aware of the hard-muscled heat of the man as he held her. Caroline pushed him back with so much strength. She knew he would put up a good fight if she attempted to fight with him. And there was nothing in the cell that could injure him. Except her heels. There were three inches long and could be the perfect weapon to use on him.

With each shoe hurtled at him, the man ducked anew, coming a stride nearer her each time. She took her bracelet off, heaving that at him in anger. Yet he advanced, and the next thing she knew, he had grabbed her.

"Let me go," Caroline cried as she twisted in his hold. "Let me go now or I'll-"

But at last he spoke. "I'll let you go, love, if you promise not to throw things at me."

That accent. That term of endearment. Her mind was reeling. The voice. She knew the voice. Knew the heated tension in it, the tenor and the cadence of it, the very rugged depths of it. And still, her breath caught in her throat. Her heart pounded fiercely for the first time since she had turned her humanity off. She was in a state of shock, wasn't aware when he released her. Suddenly, the room wasn't dark anymore.

First her heart soared. Then plummeted. Indeed, it was him. Blonde hair, richly thick and wavy against the strong, rugged lines of his features. Those eyes so blue and sharp beneath the clean arches of his brows. His cheeks high and, his nose straight as an arrow, his mouth generous, capable of being so grim and merciless …

So damnably sensual …

_Klaus._

She hadn't seen Klaus in almost a year. The thought of him had never crossed her mind ever since she had managed to get him off her mind. But seeing him again, she felt as though she could kill herself right now, because she knew, she knew like everyone knew that he was the only man on earth that could bring back her humanity. The only man on earth that was her trigger. No way was she going to that happen. Damn Stefan to hell!

"Hello, Caroline." The way he seemed to let out her name slowly...almost seductive. She sneered and crossed her arms. Klaus smiled at her, his dimples showing.

She lifted her chin. "I'd say it's nice seeing you again, Klaus, but I'd really be lying and my mother taught me not to lie."

Klaus tried to ignore the tone of her voice, tried not to hear the fury and hatred within it. How he had hated himself for locking her up and after all that had passed, he entered into new realms of agony now. He had never wanted to do this to her. It had pained him both physically and mentally but it was best for her and for everyone. He could live with her hating him, but he couldn't leave with it if she embraced darkness, and the light that had first caught his attention would be gone. Forever. He couldn't live with that.

"Love."

Even as Klaus spoke, she remembered the feel of his whisper against her flesh, the touch of his powerful fingers, the warmth of him, the sweet magic of lying in his arms.

No!

This could not happen.

"So I told you to promise me not to come back to Mystic Falls and then you presumed to kidnap me? Was the sex so good that you had to stoop so low, Klaus?" she asked, chin high and the corner of her mouth tilted up.

"I am so sorry to disappoint you," he said, those blues eyes condemning her.

"Then why-"

"Damon called me about you, love," The last was anything but an endearment. "He told me about your mother - which I'm sorry about.." He paused for a moment and added with a biting bitterness, "and then he added that you had turned it off. I didn't quite believe him."

Caroline raised an eyebrow and mocked, "So you brought me here to offer your condolences and see if I had indeed turned it off?"

"No," he said, his voice deep. Then he was bending over the bed. Close to her. So very close. His fingers wound around the carved footboard of the bed. "But I had word that you were killing people, sweetheart," Klaus added softly, the blue of his eyes cascading over her, bringing new life to her body and causing fierce shivers to dance rapidly down her spine.

Damn. Her body wasn't getting the picture that she didn't want him to get too close. Why hadn't she thought about getting laid? This wouldn't be happening if she had had some. "I didn't like it. I don't like it."

"So what do you want?" she cried, determined to inch no farther back, to meet him coolly. Yet she was shaking, and she prayed that her voice would not give her away. "Whatever you're trying to do won't work, Klaus. I'm warning you, don't try anything."

"What do I want?" He pushed up, staring at her, a brow arched high. His lip curled into a sardonic smile. He leaned close again, the curve of his smile deepening.

"Yes, what do you want?" she repeated irritated, meeting his eyes, her own narrowing.

"What do I what?" he said again, very, very softly. Caroline gritted her teeth. "I want your humanity back and I intend to bring it back one way or the other," he assured her, leaning close once again. "Welcome to New Orleans, Caroline. Do enjoy your stay here."

He smiled. She glared.

* * *

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two **

"You are crazy, Klaus," she said. "But be one, if you will. You think I'd turn my humanity on just because you say so? Or just because we shagged before?" Caroline rolled her eyes. "Maybe I'll turn it on because you promised to be my last love. Let me go-"

"Sweetheart, you are mad!"

She did not quite like being called mad, but she would let it go for now. "What will you gain by doing this? Absolutely nothing. I will hate you so much for doing this."

"You're wrong. I'll have the old Caroline back and if I have to fight this Caroline to get the other back, I will."

Fight! Against her! She wanted to slap the triumph from his eyes, for he was making such a damnable mistake. She was being nice because she thought he would let her go. He deserved to suffer at her hands, certainly not the other way around! She stamped a foot in sudden fury. "You will let me go! You've no right—"

"But I do!"

His hands were suddenly upon her, drawing her close against him. And for the first time in what seemed like forever, she felt the rippling muscles within his hard, lean body, felt again the strength that had warmed her in dreams. Felt the fury and the tension, the trembling deep within.

"Let go of me!" she shouted.

"You know," he said, quite politely, though his grip upon her was still fierce, "you always were headstrong. A little spitfire. Well, love, this time, strength of will is not going to be enough. Perhaps I will let you go in time. But if and when I do, it will not be because you forced me to. It will be because I achieved what I want."

"You bastard!" she hissed.

He nodded, not even feeling any hurt. "That's right. Count on it. I will deal with you the right way you need to be dealt with."

"I will not surrender to you!"

"I'm a man of my word, love, you're aware of that. I will get your humanity back and there's nothing you can do about it. I will be here when you fall apart and I'll help you overcome your pain and grief. There shouldn't be any argument over this. It is happening. My advice to you, Caroline, is to get ready when that happens. However, this conversation will have to wait just a bit. I've a family business at hand. But fear not. I will return." He released her and turned, long strides taking him to the door.

"Dammit, you bastard!" Caroline called after him, panic causing her voice to rise. She couldn't let him leave just yet. She couldn't let her only chance of escaping go to waste. Who knew when he would be back, and she did not like the idea of being locked up alone, with nothing but her thoughts. No way. "It is never going to happen! You're wrong! I tell you, you will let me go! You've no right, no right at all—"

She broke off, gasping against her will, because he had suddenly, viciously, closed the space between them. His hands were upon her, hard. He was lifting her. Suddenly she was thrown back on the bed again, and this time he was atop her, straddled over her, staring fiercely down upon her. She twisted, writhing madly for her freedom, raising a hand in her wild determination to strike him.

But he caught her hand, and held it tight, low against the sheets. "Don't tempt me, Caroline!" Klaus felt her tremble against him—and the urge to surrender. Oh, the feel of her fingers against his. He had lain awake so many nights, aching, feeling the agony of loss. Yet that touch!

He swallowed hard, bracing himself. He would not give in to her! Not when her words and heart were so bitter, not when she lived, and despised him so. Not when it was he who should be so very furious with her! He would not surrender. He needed his warm, light Caroline, not this cold and emotionless one.

"Dammit, you've no right—" she repeated.

"You're mistaken. I've every right!" he roared. His teeth clenched suddenly as he stared down at her. He reached out, and for one fleeting second, it seemed that he touched her with some tenderness, his knuckles just stroking her cheeks. Then he tightened his fingers into his palm, snatching them away. "You-" he stopped himself and gave a heavy sigh. "I promised your friends I would get you back. They had faith in me that I would bring their friend back."

She lay rigid, staring at him. "They're idiots, then. Having faith in someone who will disappoint them." she returned.

"Ah, I see you're yet to accept the truth. Very well, Caroline."

They both held very still for a moment, staring each other. Then, with an oath, he pushed away from her, rising. His back was to her, his shoulders broad and taut, his back stiff, his hands clenched at his sides. He strode to the door. Caroline heard it open and then slam shut.

She leapt up, both panic and fury seizing her with such a force that she was determined to escape this cell, no matter what she had to do to accomplish the feat. She raced for the door, flinging herself against it, then screaming angrily because he had seen to it that it had been barricaded from the outside. He had known that she would try to escape. "God, I hate you!" she cried, slamming her hand against the door. "I hate you, I hate you …" Her teeth chattered. She wanted to shake him, hurt him. She wanted to wind her fingers around his throat.

He would come back. Soon, she was certain. Until then, she had no choice. No choice at all, but to wait and plan.

* * *

The door suddenly opened again. She sat up quickly, alert and wary. It was Klaus. He had returned. After three hours. He stepped into the door, letting the door fall shut behind him with a definite click. He walked across the cell with a natural grace, well honed and physically muscled and sleek. He came across the cell, his eyes upon her, but he did not come near her at first. He took a seat beside her, and leaned back, watching her with his condemning blue stare. Then he smiled slowly, a smile that was chill, and sent shivers along her spine.

"Well, Caroline, we are, at long last, alone and with time to share."

She controlled her temper through that, sitting as regally and as decently as she could manage with a pounding head. "And how was your family business, Klaus?" she inquired icily. "Had a blast?"

He arched a brow, staring at her. Then she tensed, nearly jumping, for his feet fell to the floor and he rose, approaching her swiftly. She inched back upon the bed. His arms created bars about her as he braced himself, leaning against the wall behind her. His face. So close. She could see the burning blue in his eyes, feel the warmth of his breath, and the hair-trigger tension within him.

"Didn't know you were interested in my family, love," he said.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I could care less about your psychotic, dysfunctional and abusive family. I asked because whatever business you had went bad, didn't it? I sensed it the moment you came." She laughed. "I couldn't be happier. I'm so sorry that today wasn't your day. Need a tissue from yours truly?"

He pushed away from her, and began to stride across the cell. He reminded her then of a caged cat, but he had created the boundaries of his own cage. He came to a halt then, leaning against a chair, half sitting upon the edge of it. His eyes hardened.

"Let's talk about yours, shall we? Your father hated vampirism and you were one. He killed himself to prevent him from ever becoming a vampire - a monster. Have you ever wondered, Caroline, even for a slightest bit that he might have hated you too? You were something he hated, surely you hadn't thought he would still love you." It was all lies. It broke him to say such things to her, but Klaus needed a reaction out of her. Something. And the best way to trigger an emotionless vampire was to talk about a painful memory. He absolutely hated it. "And your mother kept her distance away from you. To her, you were a monster who was sharing her daughter's body. Maybe the only reason why she accepted you was because she pitied you. She didn't love you."

She raised her chin and stared at her, then did the most unthinkable. She threw her head back and laughed. She laughed so hard that he noticed a few tears in her eyes. Klaus clenched his fists tightly.

"I'm so sorry," She choked back a laugh. "Was that supposed to make me feel something?"

He contained his anger and smiled. "Not to worry, Caroline. This was Stefan's idea which he wanted me to try first. My tactics are very different from what you expect. And moving on. I will not come visit you after I leave here. Not until I sorted out my problems. In the mean time, love, try and stay alive."

Caroline leapt up and shook her head vehemently. "Your business is more important than me?"

"My daughter is important to me," he fiercely reminded her, his tone taking an edge. "It is her life that is at risk. I cannot be here all the time."

"So you're going to dump me here? Just let me go, Klaus. I'll forgive you if you let me go," she told him. She closed the distance between them. "I'm this close to dispising you."

"Let me be clear about something," he snapped. "This cell is your home now. Unless your humanity is back on, get used to your new home."

She didn't think. Yet even if she had taken the time to, she would have done the same thing, no matter how blindly stupid her actions were. She struck him. Swiftly, surely, with fire and menace. And there was a wonderful, if brief, feeling of elation that filled her then, for her blow was quick and sure. Her hand connected loudly with his cheek. The blow left her fingerprints upon it.

Elation was quickly lost, for she saw the deep-set fury in his eyes and then found herself drawn against him, swept into his arms. Struggling fiercely, she flailed against him. "Let me down, you—ass!" She was distressed that she couldn't think of anything more heinous to label him. "Put me down. Now."

The violence suddenly left him. He released her, sitting back up on the bunk, watching her from the corner of his eye. "Don't tempt me then!"

She lay near him, panting. She tried to struggle up, inching away from him.

"Listen, Caroline, I will make a deal with you. I'll get you out of this cell and take you to a comfortable room instead if you promise to stop thinking about leaving here. And if you do not agree to my condition, then you will have to stay here. What is it going to be?"

"Go and shove your deal up your uptight ass, you hear me, Klaus Mikaeslon, and then you pray our paths do not cross when I escape from this place."

"Escape!" There was surprise, as well as thunder, in his tone. Then he smiled, though the curve of the lips over his teeth that was at all friendly. "Believe me, sweetheart, you can't escape from here."

"Get it through your head," She inched farther to her side of the bed, her eyes warily upon him. Escaping here is my priority. And I'm sure your noble brother won't take kindly to you keeping me here in a cell, after all, I did nothing that would land me locked up. I will scream so loudly that everyone in this mansion would come rushing here. Elijah will release me."

He smiled. "Oh, I don't think so. If I were to chop you into pieces, no vampire in this mansion would interfere or release you. They are under my orders."

She stiffened, her temper rising, but all she did was lift a questioning brow at him, whose expression mirrored not guilt, but a definite degree of frustration. "And Elijah? Rebekah, perhaps? She wouldn't want me to be in the same house as her. Not that I would blame her...I'm a nightmare."

"I don't give a damn," he told her politely.

"How can you want to keep someone who hates you?" she cried desperately.

A brow arched again. She trying hard to keep her distance from him. But he leaned against her. He reached out, just his forefinger moving gently over the angle of her cheek. "Do you hate me?"

"Yes!" she snapped back. "You kidnapped me! Refused to release me, how can you think I won't hate you?!"

The tender stroke of his finger stilled. "It is all for your own good."

She barked out a humourless laugh, her eyes throwing deep glares at him. "So, you think you know what's good for me? Because you were inside me, you know what's good for me? Come on, Klaus. We shagged, it meant nothing to me, and it doesn't give you the right to think that you know what's good for me."

He refrained from commenting on what she had just told him, too vexed to do so without losing his temper completely, strained as it was. It was what she wanted, for him to lash out and then end up releasing her. But he had mastered the ability to calm his anger down. She stood still now, those azure eyes glaring at him.

"You can still have that warm comfortable bed instead of this cold hard one. It's just a matter of a promise. Tick tock, sweetheart."

A promise. He wanted her to promise not to talk about leaving. Not bloody likely. The thought of escaping would always be on her mind, not far away. She would accept his deal because it would be her only means of escaping this godforsaken place. How foolish was Klaus. To think that she thought he was the smartest person on earth.

And then she accepted. He smiled in truimpth, thinking that he was finally winning her over.

The cell was all over on the other side of the mansion and Caroline didn't see anyone. Her hope of seeing Elijah was crushed down when she couldn't even see a single person in the mansion. Klaus had had his hand securely wrapped around her arm and she couldn't resist not snorting, however, he had ignored her. Her eyes was fixed on everything, her mind already forming an escape plan. A mansion without so much as security, especially Klaus', screamed alarm. She wasn't stupid. He wanted her to think that it would be easy escape when it wasn't going to be easy.

Caroline sat alone in the room. He had left as quickly as he had came. She suspected that he was in a hurry to leave, but the douche didn't forget to lock the door. A war might have broken out and he wouldn't still forget to lock the damn door, too determined to keep her locked up.

Being alone in the room gave her the chance to explore. The room was beautiful no doubt, and the windows were secured by iron bars. When her hand came in contact with it, it had burned. Vervain. That alone almost made her lash out in anger. That bastard was prepared, it seemed.

She headed towards the door and began pulling it open, using her vampire abilities but the door wouldn't budge. She kicked it hard and then she started kicking again, her hands banging on the door in frustration.

"Open up! Is anyone there? Let me out!" She screamed whilst banging and kicking enough to be heard.

Oh, she was heard alright.

"Niklaus, is there something I should know about?" Elijah Mikaelson asked warningly, yet his composure was calm and collected.

Klaus took a long sip of his bourbon, and continued to ignore his brother's question. The woman sitting farthest away from him in the room was eyeing him curiously, whilst the other was staring at him in annoyance and disdain, her eyes flashing in recognition. This wasn't how he wanted them to know he had a guest in his home. And Caroline constant yells and screams were enough to question his actions for bringing her out in the open.

She was a distraction. She was distracting not only him, but the occupant in the room. He needed his mind set on the task of killing Dahlia, and his mind set on protecting Hope, however, he could not when his mind kept going back to her. It wasn't a good thing. Maybe he had made a grave mistake when he accepted to help her but it had also given him a great opportunity to see her, to be near her and also to be able to protect her. He should not regret his decision.

"Niklaus."

He threw his brother a frustrated stare. "What, Elijah? There's nothing you should know about. Can we move on and focus on what's important?" he asked hopefully, yet his tone didn't leave any room for more questions concerning her.

"Are you serious, Nik? You don't hear her screaming our ears off and you're ignoring it? What the bloody hell is Caroline Forbes even doing here?"

"Rebekah, it would do you some good if you mind your own business," he said protectively, earning him a deep glare from his sister. Klaus almost rolled his eyes. How many times was he going to get glares from different women in the same day?

"Why is she here locked up? What is the meaning of this? Help me understand, brother. We have a lot of things to worry about, we don't need you to add more into it."

"I assure you, Elijah, that you need not to worry about Caroline. She is mine to worry about."

A disbelieving snort greeted that statement before Rebekah said, with a potent glare for her brother, "Then would you tell her to shut up? Better yet, why don't you let her go."

"No one should go inside the room or attempt to help her escape, especially you, Rebekah. You don't want a dagger in your heart again," Klaus said the words so icily and it was laced with a threat. The tension in the room thickened.

She exploded in anger. "She is going to keep distracting you, Nik! I don't want her here! She is a distraction! Tell him, Elijah." Sister and brother were both glaring at each other now. Elijah, in full agreement with his sister. Rebekah looked to Freya for help. It might be her home, but Freya wasn't about to argue with her siblings, and her look said so.

"Enough! I refused to argue about this." And Klaus turned around and left the room with his glass of Bourbon still in his hands.

"What about Dahlia, Niklaus?" Elijah asked but was ignored as he watched his brother disappear through the door.

"We are doomed, Elijah. As long as she is here, his mind will divide into two," Rebekah said in fright and anger.

"That would be a problem then," Freya pointed out. "Who is this Caroline and why does it sound like she is important to Klaus?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey. A year ago, I gave up on this story due to writer's block. But I feel like completing the remaining chapters. What do you think about this story?**

* * *

**Chapter 3 **

CAROLINE COULDN'T say what had roused her from her sleep, but when she opened her eyes, it was to see a pair of legs standing near her right shoulder. Trying to see who else was in the room went was a mistake, however, that brought a wince and a sharp gasp of pain. She had forgotten her position, tied tight to the bed at her back, with thick rope laced with vervain wrapped round and round her waist, chest, and throat to make sure she would still be sitting there, and so she was. She remembered trying to keep her head straight, but it must have rolled to the side once she slept, and now her neck muscles were screaming in complaint. Her hands were secured, numb tried to pull loose of it, and had scraped her skin raw in the attempt.

And she twisted her head around slowly, working out the kinks until she could turn it without wincing. That, at least, she could manage, and finally tilted her head back far enough to look up at the silent man next to her. He hadn't moved once from his wide-legged stance. Arms were crossed over his chest. Deepest blue eyes were looking down at her, and not without expression. She was not sure what emotion rode his features, but whatever it was, it was close to violence.

"My, aren't we ready to explode. What's wrong, Klaus? Something upset you or should I say someone?" she taunted, smirking proudly and trying hard not to wince every time she moved. "I didn't expect to wake up tied up. If you had wanted to be kinky, Klaus, you should have said so earlier. I would have co-operated with you."

His brows came together, his frown had grown so dark. "That is enough, love." And then he was smiling, an absolutely beautiful smile that made her catch her breath. "I'm sorry for tying you up, but during your failed attempt at escape, you made quite a mess," he added in a pleasant tone.

She glared at him. "It wasn't a failed attempt. You knocked me out before I could escape."

Klaus clapped his hands enthusiastically. "The good thing is that you're going to be tied up, so you wouldn't escape again. But rest assure, love, the moment you get your humanity back, you'd be free."

He meant to keep her like this. He was letting her know so she could think about it, dread it, so the fear would eat away at her sanity. She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to bite his head off. Damn him! Damn him to hell!

Klaus watched her, pleased by her reaction. She was smiling now, but the anger was in her eyes again, deeply smoldering. He hadn't wanted to do that to her, but she had made him do that. She would have escaped if he hadn't found her. He had been furious. She had thrashed the entire room and he had felt bad for snapping her neck. If there was an option, he would have done it. He hadn't enjoyed any of that. Caroline was stubborn. She would have fought him every step of the way.

"You won't get away with this, Klaus. I will get out of here and when I'm done, you'd hate me more than I hate you right now," She cut in with a full measure of the contempt she felt for him, which was not even a quarter of what she had felt before.

Klaus smiled, his dimples showing. Moving closer, he brushed her cheek with his fingers, feeling the anger radiating off of her. "Are you hungry, sweetheart?"

Glaring at him, she tried to move her head away from his touch. "I don't want anything from you," she spat out.

"So stubborn." He chuckled, drawing his hand away from her face. "You know, you're just as stubborn as I am." He smiled, loving the way her eyes lit up with fire, her cheeks burning and her teeth gritting.

"So you said, but I'm not anything like you," she replied. "Now, if you'd kindly untie me so that I could take a bath. I have been here for a day." Her voice was cold, not meant to be argued with.

"I'd let you take a bath, Caroline, on one condition. I'm going to be there with you in case you decide to play some tricks."

Her chin shifted upward."That's not going to happen. I'm not going to take a shower with you in the same room," she hissed, angry enough to show him all that she was feeling in the look she gave him.

"It's not something I haven't seen before," he straight out stated. The smugness in his tone grated on Carolin's already distraught nerves, but she refused to say another word. Stating her preference only got her the exact opposite. Obviously, he had decided to toy with her some more. He untied her and Caroline thought of whooshing out of there, but she knew he would get to her so quickly. Holding her by the arm, he dragged her to the bathroom. She stared at the bath that steam rose from it. It looked deliriously inviting.

She hadn't moved from her position by the door, except to rub her limbs when the ropes had come off. She still couldn't bring herself to move. She had said she would bathe here. The alternative was unthinkable. Yet she couldn't gather the nerve required to actually do it, now that the time was at hand. She was not reckless enough to do it. Klaus used that moment to cough, waiting. And what he waited for was to experience her humiliation. If she had not hated him before, she did now.

"Do you want help?"

"Go to hell."

Those blue eyes rested on her with smugness. This was part of his revenge, a minor part to him, but not so minor to her. Yet he would have it with or without her cooperation, and the indifference in his tone said he really didn't care which way it was to be. He wasn't going to leave. She could scream, yell and throw a tantrum, and she knew he still wouldn't leave. All she managed was to keep her back to him as she began to take her clothes off. Caroline buried herself as deep in the tub as she could.

"Don't forget to wash your hair. There's dry blood there."

The dry blood that he helped put there. She was so rattled by the entire situation, she wouldn't have thought to do that. But she hated being told to. Ordered was more like it. What would happen if she refused? He would do it himself. Caroline did exactly as he asked, rubbing her itching scalp under the water before she came up to cover it with the soft soap.

"This is a nice place to bond." Klaus had a smirk plastered on his face. Caroline glanced at him, her mouth itching to retort but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction. "Don't you think, sweetheart? Oh, come on, don't look so sour. I'm simply trying to keep you safe in this room."

"By keeping me here?"

Klaus stride into the bathroom, his hand behind his back as he stared around. "New Orleans is a vicious place. There are lots of deaths everywhere, and setting a girl with no humanity on would be an invitation to her death. So you see, Caroline, why I can't let you go. I happen to quite like how happy I am right now."

She wondered if giving her these ridiculous excuses was part of his game. Was she supposed to argue with him, remind him that she was some weak baby vampire who could easily get herself killed? His excuses begged for argument. She could at least deny him that. Ignoring him, she looked away.

"Shy? Have you forgotten our glorious encounter? You're shy, aren't you? Because you're naked and I'm not?"

Shy? He thought she was shy? Caroline stood up, carefully keeping her back to him. She was actually feeling somewhat triumphant. She had thwarted him. She wasn't sure what his true goal had been, probably no more than a further demonstration of his power over her. But she had defeated his purpose. He laughed softly, which unnerved her, told her he didn't really care about her temporary triumph, that he had other things to reach the same goal available to him.

She knew his game now, and his ultimate goal. Humiliation at every opportunity, and utter devastation of her pride. If there was one thing Caroline Forbes ever valued was her pride. Crushing it will be one of his priorities. She should have remembered his promise. He wanted to humiliate her? How could he, when she had wanted this bath more than he wanted her to have it, when she had it within her power to make him regret toying with her this time? He wanted to watch? She would give him something to watch.

She turned around to face him. She reached for the soap and spread it on her hands. Slowly, with challenge in the sky-blue eyes she locked to his, she rubbed her hands over her breasts, smoothed them over her stomach and hips, down the side of her legs to her knees, then, even slower, up the inside of her thighs. He followed those hands with his own bright blue eyes, and she knew the very second that he forgot himself.

"Do you like what you see, Klaus? Do you remember my touch?"

"Caroline," he hissed.

She wanted to laugh, but didn't. She had never imagined she could salvage her pride this way.  
And then, somehow, he turned the tables on her. It was the way his expression suddenly became sensual. The way his lips softened and curved just so. The way his eyes gleamed more as they caressed the intimate parts of her. He was a man who knew how to make love with his eyes, and he was giving her a demonstration of that skill.  
Uncertainty returned with a vengeance, making Caroline distinctly uncomfortable again. It had been unbelievably stupid of her to provoke this reaction in him. After all, the conclusions she had drawn were not writ in blood. Lust could destroy the strongest resolve. He still wasn't capable of doing anything about it just now, but that and only that kept her from running, screaming, from the room.

She looked away from him instead, and finished her bath with all speed. But she knew he hadn't closed his own eyes. He watched, and she trembled. She also began to feel something else, something unexpected and not unpleasant that hummed in her core. Was lust contagious?  
He said no other words to her, and she didn't look his way again. But she had learned a lesson. She was no good at his game. But she will learn.

"Do you want some fresh clothes? While you were busy taking a bath, I got someone to stock the closet with clothes." The offer was so unexpected, and so generous, Caroline distrusted it, coming from him. That she had been trying to work the tangles from her hair with her fingers was beside the point. Klaus wouldn't give her something she might be grateful for. He might have when her humanity had been on, but not this Caroline. So why had he?

She changed into a black leather pants and shirt with black leather jacket. She knew black looked good on her. Moving over to the mirror, she simply couldn't resist using, but staring into it brought bemusement. She didn't look as awful as she had expected. In fact, she showed not a sign of someone who had been kidnapped and locked in a dungeon on her face. Her sky-blue eyes were once bright, now dull and missing the light Klaus was drawn to. What didn't surprise her was the determination in her eyes; a girl who wouldn't back down without a fight, a girl who wouldn't switch her humanity on no matter what cost.

"You like what you see," he interrupted. There was distinct laughter in his tone. She tilted her head, but not turning around to acknowdlege him. "Give me time, sweetheart. To show you what I'm capable of."

She couldn't hold back a snort.

"Bastard," she hissed beneath her breath. Then she felt him approach her. Her back stiffened, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. Suddenly, she felt him brush his lips on her shoulders and before she could turn around to bark at him for touching her, he was gone.

To say she was bored out of her mind was an understatement. There was nothing to do in the room, except laying on the bed and looking at the ceiling. She could really use a book...or a phone. A phone to call her so-called friends. Caroline thought about what she was going to say to them, the threats and promises she intended to keep. Stefan, God help the youngest Salvatore if he ever crossed her path. Groaning, she hurled a pillow at the door, and as if an answer to a prayer, the door opened and a head poked in.

"Klaus?"

It wasn't who she thought would be. A girl, a blonde girl walked inside the room and Caroline rose from the bed, frowning as she titled her head to study the new occupant in the room. The blonde girl's eyes widened in shock before she recovered and raised an eyebrow.

"Who are you?" The blonde girl demanded, as she crossed her arms and took an arrogant stance.

"I'm Caroline," Caroline answered, her lips tightening into a thin line. She didn't like the way the girl thought she could badge in her and show her an attitude. A human, no less. When she opened her mouth to say something, Caroline beat her to it. "And you're obviously a _cheap_ version of me."

"Excuse me?!"

Caroline strides forward, stopping a few inches from the blonde girl. "Curls? Blonde hair, really? Did Klaus compelled you to dye your hair blonde? Look at you, you're practically me. But of course, you could never be like me. He couldn't have me, so he resorted to having another version of me. _A pity_."

"Look here, lady," The blonde started, looking very much offended and annoyed at being practically insulted. "I don't know who you are, why you're here but you better not insult me again. You think you being a vampire is going to scare me? Think again. I have been in the company of the most cruel vampire ever and yet, I'm still standing."

Caroline raised an eyebrow, but the girl wasn't done yet.

"I'm not a cheap version of you, or any version of you for that matter," she spat out. "I don't care what you think about me or what you have going on with Klaus, but keep me out of it."

"Camille." The girls both turned around to stare at Klaus who had an annoyed look on his face. He walked over to the blonde and grabbed on her arm, pulling her back a little. "What are you doing here?" he asked, but his eyes were on Caroline, analysing her. But why? Did he think she was going to be jealous of a cheaper version of her? She mentally snort.

"I came to look for you," Camille replied, her tone softening. "But instead, I found her." She threw an annoyed look at Caroline who shrugged her shoulders at him.

"Caroline. Her name is Caroline and she's an old friend."

"Oh? Then what she is she doing here?"

Caroline grinned at him. "Yes, Klaus, I'd like to know what I'm doing here. Tell your little girlfriend why you have me here. Or better yet," He could have saw the evil glint in her eyes and his gave her a warning. She smirked in response before flashing in front of Camille to grab the girl and threaten to rip her heart out. She knew Klaus cared about the little human, and he would do anything to protect her, even letting Caroline go.

But before she could do that, he was in front of Camille. "Not her," he spoke in a deadly soft tone. Caroline stumbled back, shocked at seeing the display of emotions in his eyes. He caught her off guard there, and she had to deal with the biggest emotion; jealousy. Her heart roared with it. It shocked her to the very core, because she shouldnt be feeling it, not when her humanity was off. She wasn't familiar with him protecting anyone that wasn't his family, and then herself. But Camille seemed to have gotten inside his head. And he was slowly making her feel things once again. '_No!' she barked at herself. 'I would not let him get through me.'_

"You've got to be kidding me. You two are fucking each other? Is that it?"

"We don't have to answer to you," Camille replied with a glare.

"So you're a _we_ now? Great." She took a couple of more steps back. Klaus tried to reach his hand out to touch her, but what he saw in her eyes stopped him and he heaved a sigh. "I think I'd like it if you leave my room now, thanks."

"_Your room—" _

"Let's go, Camille." Klaus ushered Camille out of the room, sharing an intense look with Caroline before she glared and turned her back on him.

An hour later, Klaus returned and unfortunately, so did Camille. Something was off with both of them. She felt like they both had a secret shared between them, one that didn't include her. Klaus and Camille didn't return empty handed, they brought food and blood bags. As much as Caroline wanted to tell them to shove their food up their ass, her hunger won over her. She grabbed the blood bags, her hand shaking and she moaned when she felt the taste of blood on her tongue. But she would have enjoyed the meal better if she didn't have to listen and watch the love-play going on across the room.

Camille did more touching and caressing of Klaus than feeding herself, and spent a full hour at it. Shameless slut, and he enjoyed every moment of it, exuding more charm and sexual appeal than Caroline had ever been witness to. It was obvious they were well "acquainted," and just as obvious they would be again as soon as they left the room. She was a bit glad when Camille excused herself, and Caroline had wanted to hurl something at her retereating form.

Most times through the hour, when she had glanced his way, he had been looking elsewhere, deep in his thoughts. Not since she had begun ignoring him. And his eyes were still on her, without expression, telling her nothing of what was running through his mind. His steady gaze was making her edgy. She wanted him gone. Why couldn't he leave her be? It wasn't as if she was going to leave the room. He had made sure she couldn't escape.

A short while later she had started to doze off, despite not liking it, when she heard the chains rattle. She opened her eyes and turned to see a dark haired guy coming across the room toward her. Alarm struck her first, and she sat up, then realized he must be there to tie her. Her eyes flew to his hands and widened. He held chains, all right, replete with shackles, a great many of them.

Klaus spoke before to the man. "Are they to my specifications, Josh?" The man Josh nodded. "Did you test them?"

"Yes, Klaus," Josh replied. "The links held firm, despite their thinness. Davina made sure that she wouldn't be able to break them. She would be too weak to move."

"Good. Then bring it here."

The chains were tossed on the bed beside Klaus, where Caroline was able to get a closer look at them, and in fact jumped at the chance to look elsewhere than at the man. She had understood from Josh's words that they were not normal chains, were made special to Klaus' specifications, but she was surprised now to see how unusual they were.

He studied her for a moment before he asked curiously, "Why do you look scared, love?"

"I hope to god that isn't for me, Klaus. You'd have to drug me with vervain before I will ever let you chain me again."

He smiled, that smile she hated. "I will be right back." She watched him rose from bed and walked out of the room with Josh in tow. Her heart finally stopped beating and she felt like the biggest idiot for freaking out like that, and Klaus for making her believe the chains were for her.

* * *

CAROLINE AWOKE to raised voices. The voices she recognized with little difficulty—Elijah's and Rebekah's. She had had more difficulty, though, recognizing the same sort of shouting with the addition of loud thuds when it had awakened her sometime in the middle of the night.

"What's going on?"

She had not expected an answer, but got one, for Klaus was in the room, sitting by the chair and watching her. "It's just Rebekah having a little spat with Elijah. Your friends haven't come to save you, if that's what you were hoping."

"Nik!" Rebekah barged into the room, looking like she could tear anyone apart with one look. "I cannot believe Elijah would do this to me! And for what? She's not going anywhere!"

"That is a certainty now!" he replied just as loud.

"You know how I feel about having her here, Nik."

"What I know is that anytime you are angry at Elijah, you come to take it out on me," he complained. "Maybe you could spare me this time, sister."

"You go and tell Elijah that I refuse to babysit Caroline Forbes, while everyone is out risking their lives. I should be beside my family, not here babysitting her!" She pointed a finger at Caroline. "I would end up murdering her!"

"Which you surely wouldn't, Rebekah," Klaus said coldly. "You're the only one who could keep an eye out for her when I'm not here. You would do your job perfectly. I do not intend to lose her because of your prejudice. You keep that in mind, sister."

"If you're so worried about running away, then let her go—"

"_She stays._"

"Nik!"

"Give it up," he said adamantly. "My mind cannot be changed on this."

She let out an explosive, frustrated breath. "I wish I could hit you!"

Without heat now, seriously, he replied, "I wish you could, too."

Rebekah gritted her teeth. "_Fine_. I'd babysit Caroline Forbes and hope I don't kill her in the process."

"Wow." Their attention went to Caroline who lowered her hands after clapping. "You guys are so dramatic, and here I thoughht my friends have that job. It's always so nice to see you, Rebekah." She beamed at the blonde Original.

"Can't say the feeling's mutual, Caroline," Rebekah retorted. "When I heard nice and sweet Caroline Forbes had turned off her humanity and went on a killing spree, I was shocked."

"I bet you were."

"Let's be honest, Caroline, no one apart from Nik is happy to have you here."

"You don't see me jumping with joy to be here. It's safe to say your home is the last place I'd ever want to be in. If you don't want me here, tell your brother to let me go, or you let me go."

"And face my brother's wrath?" Rebekah asked. "No, thank you. As much as we don't like each other, we're going to be stuck together."

"Oh, yay," Caroline sarcastically exclaimed, then rolled her eyes at the woman.

Rebekah turned to Klaus and said, "I'm going to go and take Hope from Freya. She wants to work on a few spells."

The door closed a moment later. Caroline did not turn around. She hoped he wouldn't say anything to her. She hoped he would not continue to stay here, because it was unnecessary. Most of all, she hoped they would simply ignore each other today. They were good at ignoring one another—when they weren't giving each other their undivided attention. But she wanted to ask him who Freya was, and why he trusted her enough with his daughter.

"Ask away, Caroline."

So much for ignoring each other.

"I don't remember telling you I wanted to ask a question."

He decided to ignore her little comment. "Freya is my long lost sister. She's been with my aunt Dahlia for a decade."

"Another sister?" she asked, her face turning upside down. "Is she like all of you?"

"If you're asking if she's a cruel vampire, then no. Freya's more different than us and she is a witch."

"When can I meet her? To offer my condolences for being a part of your insane family."

"Yet disappointed you will be, love, for you will not meet my sister, or get her to set you free." Klaus smirked at her, crushing all her hopes and dreams of being able to convince his sister to let her go. "Freya knows not to cross me."

"Because your deluded mind thinks you will keep me here forever?" she asked.

""Even should you have your freedom back, you will leave my home and New Orleans with your humanity back on."

"I will leave here without my humanity on," she told him, and he was startled by the sincerity in her tone. She really did believe he wasn't going to succeed in turning her humanity back on.

There was a shrug in his voice as he answered, "You will have no choice but to surrender, sweetheart."

She was up on her feet and in his space, glaring up at him. "I will not..you can not— I refused!"

There was a sudden change in his expression, from playful to menacing. "Caroline, I won't give up on you. I'm going to get you back." Each word came out precisely, coated in ice.

His breath was hitting on her face. Every instinct demanded she argue that. Self-preservation cautioned a retreat—halfway. 'No," she whispered, harshly.

"For how long would we keep this going on? You know me, and you know I always keep my word." Klaus smiled to himself when she swung around to give him her back again. She was too easy to defeat. "I will have my Caroline back."

That got him a reaction out of her when she whipped around, she gritted her teeth and her eyes blazing, she snapped, "I was never yours!"

"You are mine," Klaus said sharply, walking closer to her. He lifted his hand and brushed it over her cheek. "Every part of you is mine. Do well to remember that, love."

Her blue eyes clashed with his, making his body all tingle. God, she was beautiful. She had stirred his blood a purpose. But even knowing that, he had burned with a need to have her that was stronger than any lust he could remember. Had she been herself, he would have acted on that need, and it infuriated him to know that. He had told himself and her that he would never touch her in that way until she had gotten her humanity back. But bloody hell, all he wanted to do right now was grab her neck and pull her in for a kiss.

* * *

DAYS PASSED, ROLLING one into another without incident. Caroline's anger and Klaus' constant presence made the time pass swiftly, at least for her. A routine quickly developed. He would come each morning and again each night to check on her, despite her telling him to _fuck off_. Elijah seemed to hate the idea of her being locked up in her room every day. Twice more he came to argue with Klaus about it, but he could not be budged.

_She stays here._

Camille had also made comment on it, showing her displeasure about it, much to Caroline's surprise, not with Elijah's passion, merely with curiosity. Klaus had told her the same thing. _She stays here._

Even the relief Caroline had felt at being released from the room during the day did not last long, for as freedom went, she still had none. Rebekah or Josh would come by throughout the day to take her out to eat lunch, but that was the only time she was ever allowed out of that room—and away from Klaus' presence. She was grateful for it, because she realised that she would go out of her mind if they kept her in there longer. She had finally met Freya, and the first thing that had been on Caroline's mind was, '_I think I prefer Rebekah'. _Freya seemed to think every movement or word she made was part of some plan. The woman deluded herself into thinking Caroline was working with their aunt Dahlia, and she wasn't to be trusted even though Rebekah had told her several times that it wasn't true. Maybe, just maybe Caroline liked to make the oldest Mikaelson think like that.

And then there was little Hope.

The sight of the child of Hayley and Klaus could have easily gotten a reaction out of her, but it didn't. Maybe it was because she had long accepted that Hayley and Klaus fucked each other, and in turn made Hope. The child was beautiful, she was more Klaus than she could ever be her mother. She didn't hold Hope. She could have, but she didn't want to. Besides, Freya didn't approve of it, fearing that Caroline was going to threaten to hurt the baby if they didn't let her go. She had rolled her eyes at that one. _As if she would do that to a baby._

One time when Josh had brought her food, she had grabbed him by the neck and hurled him across the room. But before she could so much as step a foot outside the room, he was back on his feet and threw her against the wall. He put up a fight before Caroline managed to snap his neck and walked over him. But then she found herself slammed over the wall, and Rebekah snarling at her. Klaus had no been pleased. That was the last time Josh ever came to her room.

Conversing with Klaus was not an idea of fun. She usually ended up angry, or more murderous. So she never started conversations with him. But at times he spoke to her out of sheer boredom, and a few of those times, he showed her that other side of him, the side any woman—even Caroline who adored him knew quite well. The man could indeed be charming. He could make a woman feel special. And he could catch Caroline off guard with a certain tone or look that made her heart beat faster.

Fantasies are what a man like him inspired, and when she caught herself having one about him, she almost slapped herself, but not before she imagined what it would feel like again to have such powerful arms holding her with infinite care, to know the taste of that sensual mouth, to have those blue eyes tender and filled with desire for her and her alone. Fortunately, he didn't show her enough of that other side of him to make her forget his promises and the cruel side he seemed to reserve just for her. When she had asked him once why he wouldn't just leave her alone, and that she would rather have anyone watched over her than him.

"Get used to it," was all he had said to her questioning look the first time he had done it.

"To what?" He hadn't answered, even when she had asked again.

But the day she wasn't going to forget was when he slept, late in the night, with no one there to hear his nightmare begin but her. The pain-filled moan brought her eyes wide open. She had heard nothing like it before. Caroline thought Klaus never had nightmares before when he was a nightmare himself. It now caused a certain alarm that brought her to the bed before she realized what she was doing. When it did occur to her, she turned on her heel to head back to her bed. Whatever dream he was having could eat him away for all she cared. She would not lift a single finger to…

The low mumble halted her and brought her back to the bed. It took her but a second to see that he was not speaking to her, was sleeping and in the throes of an unpleasant dream that turned his head from side to side in some kind of denial. She started when his fist slammed against the chair. He would be thrashing about next. She bent her head over the bed to shake his shoulder. But closer to him, she could make out the mumbling.

"...hurt her. No…. Safe...Caroline..don't hurt her...please.."

Caroline stiffened with the realization that he was dreaming about her. Her urge now was to let him dream on. Served him right. She didn't care at all. She wanted him to suffer like she was suffering for being locked up. His eyes opened, unfocused. His hand lifted to the back of her head. And before she could even gasp, she was being drawn to him and kissed. His lips brushed back and forth across hers, nudging, pulling, pressing, then opening a pathway for his tongue to enter.  
Moist heat, silken-smooth, and a new swirl of sensations. She forgot about bracing herself and caved in against his chest. That was probably what brought him to full wakefulness, because suddenly he was thrusting her away from him, and rolling back, she rolled right off the bed.

He sat up to glare down at her where she sat stunned on the floor. "What the bloody hell do you think you are doing?"

Angrily, she got up. "Me?!" she shouted. "You were the one who was manhandling me. It's not my fault that you were dreaming about me!"

"I don't recall dreaming about you."

"Yeah, right. And the next time you force a kiss on me, you'd regret it," she snapped.

"The next time I kiss you, love, you'd be the first one to iniate it and you will love it," he replied smugly.

Her hands went to her hips. Her chin jutted forward. "I don't see that happening in the future, Klaus."

Klaus smirked. "We shall see then."

"Get out of my room."

"I'm so glad you are getting used to my home, calling this room _your room." _He grinned at her and she answered him with a yell.

"What's occurring here?" She and Klaus both turned to find his brother standing in the open doorway. He looked none too pleased.

Klaus lay back against the chair again. "A small difference of opinion, brother," he said with a smirk.

"Small?" Elijah snorted. "More like loud. But I am glad to see you are finding amusement in a time like this, Nikalus."

"I know what am doing, Elijah."

"I suppose." He did not sound too pleased about that either. "Best get on with it, right?"

Klaus grinned. "What has you so worked up, Eliajh?"

Elijah glanced at Caroline before moving his eyes to his brother. "We shall discuss this tomorrow, Nikalus, when you are alone. Good night, Ms. Forbes." His look was skeptical, but he left just the same.

Caroline clucked her tongue. "I love how everyone just keeps barging inside the room like it's nothing."

"Really?" he shot back, and he was still grinning, their own argument forgotten.

She shot him an annoyed look. "I could be naked or doing something appropriate. Would you like it if Elijah saw me all naked, hmm?"

It was Klaus' turn to frown. "I will speak to them."

"Fine. _And get out._"


End file.
